Osteoarthritis and work
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that can cause ongoing pain, stiffness and reduced mobility as the affected joint changes over time. It commonly affects weight-bearing or frequently used joints such as the knees, hips, hands and spine, and may make lifting, walking, standing, repetitive movement or other work activities increasingly difficult. If osteoarthritis has significantly affected your capacity to work, you may have access to a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance benefit through your superannuation.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that usually develops gradually over time. It can involve the breakdown of cartilage and changes to the underlying bone, leading to pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced range of motion in affected joints. The condition most commonly affects weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips, as well as frequently used joints like the hands and spine, and its impact can vary considerably from one person to the next.
“The real question isn’t ‘Do I have osteoarthritis?’ It’s ‘What can I still reliably do at work?’”
The condition itself
Osteoarthritis symptoms vary between people, but commonly reported symptoms can include:
Walking, standing, climbing, squatting, kneeling, lifting
Grip, typing, writing, using tools, fine motor activities
Spine-affecting osteoarthritis can also affect sitting, bending, lifting, twisting and standing, depending on which section of the spine is involved.
A potential TPD assessment through superannuation may consider severity, duration and functional restrictions; mobility, treatment history and response to treatment; your occupation, education, training and experience; and attempts to return to work, prognosis and policy definition. The diagnosis alone doesn't establish eligibility; the focus is on your actual capacity to perform employment.
Potentially. A joint replacement doesn't automatically determine the outcome either way; what matters is your functional capacity, before and after surgery, measured against your policy's definition. Recovery timelines, surgical outcomes and any lasting restrictions are all relevant to how your situation is assessed.
Yes, potentially. The joints affected matter because of what they mean for your particular occupation: hand osteoarthritis can be significant for desk-based work involving typing and writing, while knee or hip osteoarthritis can be significant for roles involving standing, walking or lifting. The same condition can affect two people differently depending on what their work actually requires.
Potentially, this doesn't rule out a claim. You may have reduced your hours, changed roles, or be pushing through with difficulty. What matters most is your capacity against the definition in your policy, and evidence of how your work has changed can be genuinely important. If osteoarthritis has significantly affected your capacity to work, you may have access to a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance benefit through your superannuation.
We investigate your superannuation accounts to identify any TPD cover, assess your situation against the specific policy definitions, and manage the claim process from start to finish, working with your treating practitioners to present proper evidence of your functional capacity. Thrive Claims can investigate your potential TPD insurance through your superannuation.
Questions, answered
Straight answers about osteoarthritis, work capacity and TPD claims, written in plain English.
Osteoarthritis in the knees, hips, hands or spine can make kneeling, climbing stairs or repetitive work increasingly painful, and TPD claims may be worth considering. Thrive Claims helps with superannuation claims to clarify the insurance attached to your fund. Before or after joint replacement surgery, an income protection claim may also be relevant, and members with more than one account may explore multiple super funds claims. Our services explain how these connect.
Osteoarthritis usually develops over years through joint wear, age or earlier injury. TPD is assessed against your policy definitions and capacity to work. Claims centre on physical injury or illness, and may also include mental health effects such as low mood from ongoing pain.
If osteoarthritis is part of why you receive the DSP or support as an NDIS participant, your super insurance may be worth reviewing. Neither confirms Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) claims eligibility by itself, but it may have valid basis. If an earlier motor vehicle accident injury contributed to joint damage, Thrive Claims can help clarify your options.
Specialist claim pathways
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Start with a free assessment of your circumstances and any TPD cover held through superannuation.